#208: Shiva Sarram

Investing in Peace Through Innovation: A Conversation with Shiva Sarram of the Blossom Hill Foundation

A world where conflict-affected children thrive. The vision of the Blossom Hill Foundation drives its mission to invest in solution-driven initiatives for refugees and internally displaced communities.

Over the last nine years, the Foundation has supported almost 56,000 war-affected children in 10 countries by funding breakthrough ideas through its Fellowship program. It invests in products like apps that teach literacy, projects such as STEM education centers near refugee camps, and programs like art, music and sports therapy that help refugee children develop critical life skills.

Fellowships offer up to $50,000 per year to fund innovative projects. Fellows must demonstrate their commitment to social change, as well as the need for and potential impact of their idea.

Bard MBA student Esra Elshafey spoke with Blossom Hill founder Shiva Sarram about the work of some of its current fellows and how the Foundation measures impact. Sarram was born and raised in Tehran during the devastating Iran-Irag war and has resided in the US since the early 1980s. Her passion for war-affected children as well as her education in economic development led her to the Blossom Hill vision.  

ImpactReportPodcast.com